Here's chapter 5! Thank you guys so much for the reviews, I really appreciate them. Oh, and I'm sorry if this chapter is cut short (I don't know if it is to you guys, but it is to me). Don't worry, I'll make things a lot more interesting in the next chapter. Please review, you have no idea how it makes my day . . . :) Enjoy! ----Sera
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I only own the plot
Haley walked down the halls of Tree Hill High, trying her hardest to ignore the stares of the people around her. She suddenly wished she was back in Brooke's apartment, hating life and everything in it, rather than be the laughingstock-slash-biggest idiot in school.
She had only been on campus for a couple of minutes and she already got more than a dozen snide comments. I must have been stupid to do this. I shouldn't have come back right away.
Haley heard a wolf-whistle and someone say, "Hey, Haley, would you hold my hand?" as she walked by. Scratch that, I shouldn't have come back at all.
She spotted Peyton opening her locker and ran to her immediately. "I hate this. Take me home!"
Peyton laughed. "Well, hello to you, too."
"No, seriously, I don't know how I could take any more of this. I lost count of how many comments I received and I've just arrived!" Haley cried.
"You're bound to get comments, Hales. You've made more headlines than the average starlet." Peyton said.
"Yeah, that's one way of comparing," Haley muttered. She noticed Peyton was looking at someone across the hallway. She narrowed her eyes. "Is that who I think it is?"
"Yeah, isn't he just –?" Peyton said rather dreamily.
Haley raised a brow knowingly. "Yeah?"
She blushed. "Nothing,"
"Since when did he come back?" Haley asked, still watching him.
"A couple of days ago, but I don't really care about him." Peyton replied, closing her locker door.
"Have you talked to him yet?"
"Yes, but we just say hi to each other – hi, Jake!" Peyton said, her voice suddenly high-pitched and squeaky. Haley had to bite her tongue to keep herself from laughing out loud.
He smiled. "Hey, Peyton," his eyes fell on Haley. "Haley! It's great to see you again!"
She hugged him. "It's great to see you, too. How have you been?"
"Oh, the usual. You've been quite the superstar around here." Jake remarked.
Haley groaned. "So you've heard?"
"Damn, Haley, everyone has heard. I can count on one hand how many people welcomed me back but on the news about you, you need more than ten hands to count," he laughed at the look on her face. "You've always been the one who'd sit on the sidelines."
"That's me, good-old-sideline-sitting-Haley." She said.
He smiled again. "Well, I'll see you guys around."
As soon as he was far from earshot, Peyton grabbed Haley's arm. "Why is it that you get a hug and all I get is a lame 'Hey, Peyton'?"
Haley laughed. "That's because I'm the superstar around here," she paused. "Wait, I thought you didn't care?"
"I don't. I was just – wondering, that's all."
"Right, let's go with that one." Haley said, linking her arm with Peyton's as they walked to class.
Haley and Peyton entered the classroom, talking animatedly. Without bothering to look around, Haley sat in the back row and opened her textbook.
A tall woman wearing horn-rimmed glasses entered the room. Haley recognized her immediately. It was Miss Spencer, their Math teacher. "Good morning class. Open your books to page 53 and we'll get started on a new topic."
There was a moment's pause as everyone took out their books and turned to the said page. "Is anyone here familiar with logarithms?"
Haley looked around, seeing that everyone was gazing fixatedly at their books, probably praying that Ms. Spencer wouldn't call on them. She slowly raised her hand.
"Ah, Miss James. You're back."
Everyone turned to look at her. Haley momentarily froze. "Y-yes, ma'am."
Miss Spencer smiled. "It's been a long time since someone has raised their hand in my class."
The bell rang an hour later, as students gathered their things to leave. "Miss James, may I have a word?" Miss Spencer asked.
"Sure, Miss Spencer, what is it?"
"Have a seat."
Haley sat on the chair in front of the desk.
"Well, since you've – ah, gone on leave, a lot of students had a hard time coping, especially with my subject. Since you're the only one who seems to understand what I'm talking about, how would you like to start tutoring again?" Miss Spencer asked.
Haley hesitated. "I don't know."
"Why not? It would look great on your record when you apply to Stanford. I'll even give you extra credit."
She thought about it. It wasn't a bad idea, and it would take her mind off a lot of things. Besides, she needed the extra credit after everything she missed for the past weeks. "Okay. When do I start?"
"Would tomorrow at four sound good?"
"That would be great, Miss Spencer." Haley stood to leave.
"Oh, and Miss James?"
"Yes?"
"It's great to have you back."
Haley smiled ruefully. "I honestly wish I could say the same thing."